064 : February Favourites

Gosh, another month down. I can't actually believe we're already a quarter of the way through the year, I turned 26 last week and I'm feeling super old! This month has been ridiculously busy for me, hence the lack of posting, luckily I have a really quiet few weeks coming up so I can catch up with blogging and get back into the swing of things!

Last month there was so many products that I absolutely loved, I always have this issue when posting favourites post. I can never decide between products! I've popped a mixture of a beauty, body and other little bits I've been loving throughout February in for you this month, it's always good to mix things up a little!

Beauty

Bobbi Brown Brightening Brick - Coral/£34
I've been loving the new Bobbi Brown Brightening Bricks, I got colour matched at my local Bobbi Brown counter and had my heart set on one of the pinker shades, they matched me up with Coral as my skin is super pale. It gives a really sheer, dewy glow to my skin, I love that these are so versatile and you can sweep it all over your face, I can see this seeing me through the whole of the spring and summer months!

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - 30ml/£49 & Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum - 15ml/£46
Hi, I'm Heidi and I'm always late to the party. Hypothetical party being the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair range. I've always steered clear of these just because they're so pricey, but they're definitely worth the investment. I pop this little duo on before bed with a little moisturiser and my skin is far softer in the mornings and I look way more awake, even if I feel like I haven't slept, I don't look it, which is always a winner.

Mac Bao Bao Wan Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow - 4g/£33
I've been using this gorgeous Bao Bao Wan shadow palette religiously over the last month or so, the shades are stunning, from soft pink, to gorgeous gold, a dewy brown and a bright blue. They blend together so well and you can create so many different looks. Love, love love!

Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Day Cream - 40ml/£29
This is my first ever Jurlique product, I'm not sure why I waited so long to jump on the bandwagon with this one, as I love it. It's a really soft moisturiser which is so incredibly nourishing and keeps my skin hydrated all day long. It's amazing for dry skin, if your skin already has a little natural moisture it would probably be too much, but for those with skin which is really dehydrated, it's a must have!

Mac Lipstick - Lovelorn/£15.50
I first saw this on Milly of the lovely Pearls and Poodles Instagram and fell in love with it, it's one of those things you just know you have to have! It's a really classy, soft pink, which easily transitions from the daytime through to the evening. I don't often wear lipstick but this hasn't budged from my lips just lately!

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - Shade 2/£34.50
Having been hooked on Nars' Sheer Glow for ages now, I felt it was time to add a new foundation into the mix. I saw this on Tanya Burr recently and just loved how it looked. It's a really dewy foundation which gives the absolute perfect amount of coverage. I like my coverage heavy enough to cover any blemishes, but not so heavy it looks like its been trowelled onto my face!

Estee Lauder Modern Muse Eau De Perfum - 30ml/£45
Another little beaut from Estee Lauder, this fragrance is so pretty. It's really light and floral. I love the scent of anything sweet and this is just so soft and feminine. It's been so perfect for daytime wear.

Soap & Glory Archery DIY Brow Bar - £12
Having been using Anastasias Dipbrow for a while, I felt the shade I'd bought was slightly too dark against my hair colour. As someone who gets their hair lightened fairly frequently, I needed something slightly less harsh. I picked up the DIY Brow Bar in Boots and I've been loving it, it has a clear gel, highlighter and two different shades, so it's a one for all. The teeny brushes are great for getting a good shape to the brows, and plus its so affordable! 

Body/Haircare

Lee Stafford Ubuntu Oils Shampoo & Conditioner - 250ml/£9.99 Each
My hair really lacks moisture and dries out quickly, the Ubuntu Oils range from Lee Stafford has left it so much softer and full of moisture. I've found I do have to wash it more often as it's been getting greasier quicker, but this is the only shampoo/conditioner I've found thats actually put more moisture back into my hair! It contains vitamins A & E, to replenish the hair, I've been using it alongside the Argan Oil hairspray and I absolutely love it.

Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Body Scrub - 300g/£37
I have a thing about soft skin, I love my skin to be softer than a babys butt. This Laura Mercier Body Scrub is absolutely delightful, it comes with the cutest little scoop so you don't have to put your wet hands into it, and it smells just divine. I usually apply this to my skin before shaving and rinse it off afterwards, the scent is sweet, full of fig, apricot and ylang-ylang. It's been a good bathtime buddy for the last month or so.

Decléor Aroma Cleanse Exfoliating Body Cream - 200ml/£31
Another amazing body scrub, I first tried this a few months ago at Center Parcs while I was having a spa day with my mum. I absolutely loved it. It leaves your skin so, so soft. It smells utterly gorgeous too. A lot of cleansers and scrubs have beads in that I find slightly irritating to my skin, they feel almost a little too abrasive. The Decléor Aroma Cleanse is so gentle to use. Perfect on even the most sensitive skin!

Bio-Oil - 200ml/£19.99
Bio-Oil is full of natural vitamins and oils, Vitamins A & E, Calendula Oil, Lavender Oil, Rosemary Oil & Chamomile Oil. I've been using this on stretch marks for years since having children, but my skins been so dehydrated lately I've been using it to put some much needed moisture back into my skin. It softens and feels amazing. It keeps my skin hydrated for such a long time, if like me, your skin drinks Cocoa Butter like its going out of fashion, Bio-Oil is an amazing alternative.

Life

Love, Tanya - £6.49
Tanya Burr was one of the first YouTubers I ever watched. I've always been a massive fan of hers and it's amazing to see someone you really admire grow, change and become super successful! Tanyas book is so pretty, it has some gorgeous photography. Tanya talks beauty, fashion, food & love. It's so well written and Tanya is so down to earth, plus the recipes are to die for. Someone pass the Smarties Flapjacks!

Daisy Earrings - £3
I've been wearing this little Daisy earrings non stop since I bought them, they're so perfect for spring (and a bit of a steal at three quid!) - they're ear 'jackets' so the stud goes through your ear and then a bar curves around behind your earlobe and hangs underneath. They're really delicate but statement at the same time. Love.

Ferrero Rocher - 24/£6.50
I'm absolutely hooked on these. Whenever I fancy a little chocolatey snack, I reach for the Ferrero's. I've been munching oodles of these, which hasn't been great for the waistline but my taste buds are totally satisfied!

Vita Coco Coconut Oil - 250ml/£5.99
I actually got this in February's Birchbox, coconut oil has SO many different uses, you can use it on your face (apparently Kim Kardashian is a massive fan of using this on her chops - who knew?!), your hair, for cooking... the list goes on. I've been using it in the bath to shave my legs and it's left my skin so nourished and hydrated. I don't particularly like the smell but it's amazing for giving you super soft, supple skin!

Melodie Notebook - £5.59
I'm a self confessed stationary junkie. I love pretty staitionary and spend hours upon hours in Paperchase picking up things I don't need just because they look too pretty not to buy. I actually got this notebook from WH Smith and I love it. I've been using it to write down all my ideas for blog posts. Plus its hardback so it doesn't get all mishapen in your handbag! WH Smith have some really pretty stationary in at the moment, definitely worth a look!

What have you guys been loving this month?!

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061 : February Birchbox Review

I don't think I've had a subscription to anything since Sabrina's Secrets when I was about 8 (90's kids remember this?!) - I've been toying with the idea of Beauty Boxes for a while and after doing some thorough research, I settled on Birchbox. I really like that Birchbox covers all areas in their boxes, from beauty, to body & lifestyle. The boxes are beautifully presented and the products come in a little cotton bag along with cute little postcards (does anyone else want to frame theirs?!) - on the back of them is information about each of the products you've recieved and a little tutorial.

The theme for this months Birchbox is 'Birchbox Loves' - tying with valentines and all things romantic. I absolutely loved the little card with the tickboxes titled 'Love Is...' - it's a really nice touch to an already lovely box. I recieved six products in my box, one full sized. There was a couple of brands that were totally new to me, which is one of the reasons why I signed up, I love discovering new brands and products and sample sizes are a great way to do it. Some of the products were slightly disappointing but there were others that I absolutely loved. I recieved - 

Eyeko Fatstick - Gilt

The Eyeko Fatstick was a new product to me, I've tried Eyeko eyeliners and didn't really get along with them. The Fatstick is a creamy eye crayon which can be used as a smokey eyeshadow, all along the lash line, or blended on the outer corners for a more demure look. I really liked the shade of this, its a gorgeous metallic brown and the consistency was really soft and creamy, which made it easy to blend, plus it was completely crease free and smudgeproof. My only qualm about the Fatstick is it was just too thick, it was hard to get a good amount on the crease of the eye just because it's so chunky. I think it'd work much better along the lash line. Otherwise, it was pretty impressive.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum - 10ml

I adore Caudalie, I absolutely love the Vinoperfect range and use the face mask on a regular basis so I was super happy to have recieved this little beauty in my Birchbox. This serum is designed to give you an even complexion and to eradicate any dark spots. I don't suffer with dark spots on my face so I can't comment on whether that worked or not, but my skin did feel really lovely and soft, plus it smells gorgeous. It's oil free and the consistency is very fluid. I really enjoyed the sample of this but I'm not sure if I'd buy the full size product, it does contain glycerin which is supposed to moisturise the skin, which I think would be great if you have a normal skin type but mines really dry so for me it just isn't moisturising enough. (My skin literally drinks this stuff!)

Electric Hair Electric Hydrate Shampoo - 30ml

Electric is a new brand to me, I'd never heard of their products before trying out the Hydrate Shampoo. I was over the moon to get this in my box, as someone who gets their hair highlighted every 6 weeks or so, it's in quite bad condition and it tends to get quite dry quite quickly. This shampoo was a lifesaver for me, the bottle says to use an almond sized amount but I had to use a fair bit more to get a good lather as my hairs quite thick and long. It smells so, so good and it really put some much needed moisture back into my locks. At £17.50 for a full sized bottle, it is quite pricey but I definitely think its worth its price tag. 

London Butterflies Winter Jasmine & Starflower with Sweet Almond Oil Whipped Body Cream - 30ml

London Butterflies is another new brand to me, I think they're a fairly new brand - born and bred in London. This was by far my favourite product in my Birchbox. I did end up buying the full size version, at £37 it's quite expensive but so worth the price tag. I absolutely adore it. It smells divine and my skin has never felt so soft, I usually use the Clarins Moisture Rich Body Lotion after my baths - designed for dry skin. But I think it's most definitely been replaced. It literally smells good enough to eat, even the boyfriend loves it! I really love the packaging too, a really simple glass jar with a cute butterfly on the top. I'd most definitely, definitely recommend this!

theBalm cosmetics Stainiac - Beauty Queen - 1.2ml

I've heard really amazing things about theBalm products, but I have to say I was massively disappointed with Stainiac. It's a lip/blush water based gel. You can use it on your lips for a glossy look or dab it on your cheeks and blend as a blush, neither of this techniques really worked for me and I didn't really like how it felt a little tacky on my lips. I dabbed it onto my cheeks and blended but it didn't really make much difference in terms of colour. Did anyone else recieve this product? What did you guys think of it?

Vita Coco Coconut Oil

Vita Coco is a brand I've dabbled with in the past, I've made delicious smoothies using their coconut water but haven't had a chance to use the Coconut Oil just yet so I was really happy to be able to give this a try. I love that it has so many uses, you can use it in the bath to soften skin, remove make-up (really!), as a natural energy boost when mixing it into coffee, softening hands and feet, a hair rescue treatment or for cooking. I think I'm going to try using it for cooking as a replacement for either vegetable oil or butter, and perhaps in my hair. I've heard really amazing things about coconut oil - plus its super healthy for you - can't really go wrong can you?!

So there's the lowdown on February's Birchbox - do any of you guys subscribe to Birchbox? What did you think of this months box?! - would love to hear from you!

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